3,4--Dammarane Triterpenoid Saponins with Anti-Inflammatory Activity Isolated from the Leaves of .

is commonly used for the prevention and treatment of hypertension, diabetes, and inflammation in South China. Although research on the anti-inflammatory effects of leaves has been reported, no active anti-inflammatory compounds have been identified. In the present study, RAW 264.7 cells were used to establish a bioactivity-guided identification model to verify the inhibitory effects of leaves on inflammation and identify the anti-inflammatory constituents. The active fraction was isolated to yield 18 dammarane triterpenoid saponins, including 11 new 3,4--dammarane triterpenoid saponins (), the structures of which were identified on the basis of analyses of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS) and comparison with literature data. Compounds , , , and showed strong inhibition on nitric oxide (NO) productions, with IC values ranging from 8.23 to 11.23 μM. These four compounds significantly decreased the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), prostaglandin E (PGE), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, compound decreased the expression of the proteins cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS), and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB/p65). In addition, the structure-activity relationships of the isolates were investigated. The results suggest that 3,4--dammarane triterpenoid saponins may be used as potential anti-inflammatory drugs and warrant further investigation.